The Love of a Father
by JMolover13
Summary: James finds Emma close to death. They both know she's dying. He makes sure that true love's kiss ensues between his daughter and the evil queen that ripped her from him. Prompt on Tumblr.


**AN: Prompt on Tumblr: ****The first time Charming held Emma she was born only minutes earlier. The second time Charming holds Emma she is only minutes from death, now Charming's only hope is that a kiss from Emma's true love Regina will save his daughter.**

**I loved this prompt. I won't lie, the idea made me cry…**

No one had time to deflect or stop it before it happened. No one was close enough to do so. This was her destiny: Breaking the curse. In this moment, she knew that everything she was meant to do in her life had been done… Everything except for one thing… telling her true love that she was loved. She knew there was nothing she could do. She knew Rumple's dagger was laced with something. She knew her death was eminent. She tried to hold out as long as possible.

She heard his cackle and her head lolled to the side, hoping against hope and wishing against wish that she would see someone she loved before she died. He got there first. She didn't know what she was surprised; she was his baby girl. She was the product of himself and his great love. She was his daughter… He was her father.

He knelt down next to her. He saw the dagger but said nothing. He removed it carefully… slowly… as painlessly as he possibly could. She deserved more than this. She deserved everything. He always wanted to give her everything. She was his baby girl.

He put as much pressure as he could against her wound, "It's okay." He said even though it wasn't, "I'm here."

Emma wanted to cry as she looked into his eyes; she could see how scared he was… and could tell he knew how scared she was. She was breathing hard and quickly, trying to ebb the pain away.

As James looked into his daughter's eyes he saw all the scared wonder he did as he fought off Regina's knights and got her in that tree. He regretted ever sending her through in the first place. She was his baby girl. He would have rather her been their baby forever than put her through all she went through.

Emma saw it in his eyes, "I" she breathed hot breaths as he leaned closer to listen to her, "I don't…" She grunted in pain, feeling everything begin to fade, "I don't regret being the savior…" Now she had tears in her eyes because she just wanted to get it all out… she knew she couldn't, "Tell mom and Henry that I love them…"

"No.." James shook his head.

"Daddy, please!" She grunted out, "Tell..them." He nodded as tears fell from his eyes, "Daddy, I love you…" She let her head fall back, and let the black come for her, "And tell Regina that I will always…" As she tried to take one more breath to finish her last words, the black took her completely.

"Emma!" James shook her, "EMMA!"

He heard a gasp and shuffling over at the entrance of the room. He saw Snow, his grandson and who they thought was their arch enemy. Snow had fallen against the wall and slid down, covering her mouth. Her crying was silent, but everyone could feel the breaking in her heart. Henry was in her lap, head buried in her shoulder.

Regina had one hand against the wall; she took in one seemingly ragged breath. She looked up at the ceiling, showing everyone her neck as she literally bit back her tears. She never got to tell her. They had become close allies since the curse broke; since Henry was put in the hospital because of her. They had become friends. She had opened what was left of her heart and now…

"KISS HER!" Charming yelled across the room.

Regina looked over to him with knit brows.

"KISS HER! It's the only way to bring her back! DO IT! She was taken from us once, I will NOT let her be taken again." He spoke commandingly as he got up from his daughter and walked to Regina, "Kiss. Her." He ordered as he got six inches from her face, "NOW!" he yelled.

This jump-started Regina's feet as she walked ever regally over to the lifeless body. She examined her. She closed her eyes as her legs lost strength and she sunk to her knees with a single tear rolling down her cheek. She placed her hand on Emma's stomach, covering the wound. A golden glow formed between her palm and the wound.

"What are you doing?" Snow asked, her voice filled with sorrow, and so obvious that he had been and was still crying.

"Nothing…" Regina replied stunned at what was happening. "I…I'm not using magic." She looked at the other three.

"Kiss. Her." Charming spoke once more, telling her that this was the last time he told her to do it before he walked over there and shoved their faces together.

Regina nodded, keeping her palm against Emma's wound and leaned over to look at her face. She examined the fair-haired beauty. She looked as though she were sleeping. She traced every line on Emma's face with her eyes: the creases in her forehead formed from surprise and anger and confusion, the laugh lines and beginnings of adorable (not ugly) crow's feet from happiness. She looked at her closed eyes, button nose and those perfect apple cheeks—there was of course no way that she could not not fall in love with those apple cheeks. And she looked at her lips. She licked her own as she did this.

She leaned down even further and pressed her lips against Emma's. It wasn't immediate, but she did eventually feel the other pair pucker back. As soon as they did a gasp came and Emma shot up from her laying position, causing Regina to move as quickly back as she could, but still keep her hand on the wound. She could now feel the wound repairing itself.

Emma looked around. She first saw her parents and her son, all of them wearing the same hopefully shocked expression she was. She then looked down and saw Regina's hand on her stomach. She didn't feel anything; nothing hurt. She followed the hand up the arm to see the face that she had for some unknown reason fallen in love with.

She saw Regina's expression… hers was probably the most surprised. She obviously didn't believe that there was any way she could be Emma's true love… but she was. Emma took Regina's face in her hand and rubbed her cheek. She turned back to her father and bit her lip to keep from crying, 'Thank you' she mouthed.

He nodded and hugged his wife and grandson; all with the same tears in her eyes.

Emma looked back to Regina who had yet to move her hand from her stomach. That was all Regina seemed to be concentrating on. She looked down and saw the glow for herself. She saw it as it started to fade, alerting that the healing was almost finished. Once the glow went away, she looked back at Regina, who was still staring at her hand on the blonde's stomach.

Emma covered her true love's with her own, "I didn't tell you this before, and now I realize how stupid that was…" Regina finally looked up into Emma's eyes, "I love you."

Regina wasted no time replying through a happy cry, "I love you too."

James held his wife and grandson tighter as they watched the two women before him. He would get to hug and hold his daughter many more times throughout their lives. He would get to hug and hold four more grandbabies, and two more daughters of his own as well. He knew it was all thanks to true love.


End file.
